IP Library Granted Patent US 8,380,159
Granted Patent B2
US 8,380,159 · App. 12/051,888 · Granted Feb 19, 2013

Provision of an emergency alert system alert message via a personal area network compatible accessory

Inventors: DeWayne Allan Sennett (Redmond, WA); Brian Kevin Daly (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,380,159
App. No.
12/051,888
Granted
Feb 19, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wireless communication device receives a message. If the message is an emergency alert message, such as an EAS alert message, the wireless communication device issues a notification to an accessory device using a personal area network, which may be established using Bluetooth or another personal area network protocol. The notification is distinct from a notification that is issued to the accessory device when a standard communication, such as a voice call or a non-emergency message, is received by the wireless communication device.

Claims (56)

1. A device comprising:

memory comprising executable instructions stored thereon; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the executable instructions to perform operations comprising:

receiving a message from a cellular communication network;

determining whether the message is a standard message or an emergency alert message;

when it is determined that the message is a standard message, providing via a personal area network, a first notification, wherein:

an intended recipient of the first notification is an accessory device within the personal area network; and

the first notification comprises an indication of a first format for rendering an indication of the standard message;

when it is determined that the message is an emergency alert message, providing via the personal area network, a second notification, wherein:

an intended recipient of the second notification is the accessory device within the personal area network;

the second notification comprises an indication of a second format for rendering an indication of the emergency alert message; and

the first format differs from the second format.

2. The device of claim 1 , the operations further comprising establishing the personal area network between the wireless communication device and the accessory device using a personal area network protocol.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the message comprises at least one of a short message service (SMS) message, a broadcast text message, or a multimedia message service (MMS) message.

4. The device of claim 1 , the operations further comprising determining whether the message is a standard message or an emergency alert message by determining whether a message identifier that identifies the message as an emergency alert message is present.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first format and the second format, each comprises at least one of an audio signal format, a vibration signal format, or an LED illumination signal format.

6. The device of claim 1 , the operations further comprising determining whether the message is a standard message or an emergency alert message by identifying a type of alert communicated by the emergency alert message.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the message is a standard message or an emergency alert message further comprises identifying an urgency of an alert communicated by the emergency alert message.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the message is a standard message or an emergency alert message further comprises identifying a severity of an alert communicated by the emergency alert message.

9. A tangible computer readable storage medium that is not a transient signal per se, the computer readable storage having stored thereon executable instructions for performing operations comprising:

causing a wireless communication device to receive a message from a cellular communication network;

determining whether the message is a standard message or an emergency alert message;

when it is determined that the message is a standard message, providing via a personal area network, a first notification, wherein:

an intended recipient of the first notification is an accessory device within the personal area network; and

the first notification comprises an indication of a first format for rendering an indication of the standard message;

when it is determined that the message is an emergency alert message, providing via the personal area network, a second notification, wherein:

an intended recipient of the second notification is the accessory device within the personal area network;

the second notification comprises an indication of a second format for rendering an indication of the emergency alert message; and

the first format being different from the second format.

10. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , having further computer executable instructions stored thereon for establishing the personal area network between the wireless communication device and the accessory device using a personal area network protocol.

11. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the computer executable instructions for determining whether the message is a standard message or an emergency alert message comprises computer executable instructions for determining whether a message identifier that identifies the message as an emergency alert message is present.

12. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the first format and the second format, each comprise at least one of an audio signal, a vibration signal, or an LED illumination signal format.

13. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the computer executable instructions for determining whether the message is a standard message or an emergency alert message comprises computer executable instructions for identifying a type of alert communicated by the emergency alert message.

14. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the computer executable instructions for determining whether the message is a standard message or an emergency alert message comprises identifying an urgency of an alert communicated by the emergency alert message.

15. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the computer executable instructions for determining whether the message is a standard message or an emergency alert message comprises identifying a severity of an alert communicated by the emergency alert message.

16. A device comprising:

memory comprising executable instructions stored thereon; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute the executable instructions to perform operations comprising:

receiving, via a personal area network, a notification indicative of one of a standard message or an emergency alert message;

determining if the received notification is one of indicative of the standard message or indicative of the emergency alert message;

when it is determined that the received notification is indicative of the standard message, determining a first format for rendering an indication of the received notification;

when it is determined that the received notification is indicative of the emergency alert message, determining a second format for rendering an indication of the received notification, wherein the first format differs from the second format; and

rendering an indication of the received notification via one of the first format or the second format.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein each of the first format and the second format comprise at least one of audio rendering, vibrational rendering, or a visual rendering.

18. The device of claim 16 , wherein:

the received notification is indicative of an emergency alert message;

the received notification comprises an indication of a type of emergency; and

the second format is indicative of the type of emergency.

19. The device of claim 16 , wherein:

the received notification is indicative of an emergency alert message;

the received notification comprises an indication of a severity of the emergency; and

the second format is indicative of the severity of the emergency.

20. The device of claim 16 , wherein:

the received notification is indicative of an emergency alert message;

the received notification comprises an indication of an urgency of the emergency; and

the second format is indicative of the urgency of the emergency.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2008
From: SENNETT, DEWAYNE ALLAN; DALY, BRIAN KEVIN
To: AT&T MOBILITY II LLC
Reel/Frame 020933/0324 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090239497A1 · Sep 24, 2009